A Product of the System

Abstract

This piece is a sociopolitical narrative that extrapolates upon the life of one community organizer, Lydell Hills aka Rebel Buddha, as he strives to produce a model for ethical community organizing and engagement. He begins with critical autoethnography to highlight his background and the intersections of his identity to better understand his interest in certain areas/issues for organizing. This journey leads to interviews with several Baltimore-based organizers to build a network and seek counsel in understanding organizing practices. Finally, he synthesizes this wisdom into an analysis for how to engage with communities ethically to avoid replicating oppressive power dynamics.The work is presented through storytelling methodology, utilizing rap, poetry, reflections, narrative, and academic prose to deliver his message: community can only be built through inclusive integration that honors the voices of all its people.